MLA Mamkoottathil case: Activist Rahul Easwar denied bail, remanded to jail

A court on Monday dismissed the bail petition of activist Rahul Easwar and remanded him to judicial custody for allegedly defaming the complainant in the sexual assault case against MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil.

Thiruvananthapuram Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Elsa Catherine George dismissed the bail plea after hearing the arguments from both sides.

The court diary recorded that Easwar (43) was arrested and produced before the court around 4.30 pm.

“Bail application is filed and detailed arguments are adduced by both sides in open court. Bail application is dismissed vide separate order. For the reasons in the remand report, he is remanded to District Jail, Thiruvananthapuram, till December 15,” the court diary stated. Easwar was arrested on Sunday after the Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police registered a case for allegedly defaming on social media the woman who had lodged the sexual assault complaint against Mamkoottathil.

Police said the case was registered on the woman’s complaint that her photograph was circulated on social media.

In his bail plea, Easwar contended that he had not disclosed the identity of the complainant as alleged by the police.

He also alleged that the arrest procedure was improper, saying that notice was issued immediately before he was taken into custody.

Opposing bail, the police submitted that Easwar had earlier been involved in defaming complainants in similar cases. The police also produced videos claiming he had defamed complainants in sexual assault cases.

After reviewing the submitted materials, the court rejected the bail plea.

While being taken to jail, Easwar told reporters that the police had misled the court.

“I will observe a hunger strike in jail. I have not shared the complainant’s photographs. Police have lied before the court,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Warrier filed an anticipatory bail petition before the Thiruvananthapuram District and Principal Sessions Court in the same case on Monday. He submitted that he had neither revealed the complainant’s image nor her identity.

Warrier said a marriage photograph of the woman that was posted on his Facebook page a year ago resurfaced after the recent incident.

Police said three more persons have also been arraigned in the case.